Bamako – Transition President General Assimi Goïta has announced a major reshuffle within the leadership of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), introducing several key appointments, including a new commander of the Unified Force of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Brigadier General Makan Alassane Diarra has been appointed Commander of the AES Unified Force, the joint military structure bringing together Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. He succeeds General Daouda Traoré in a position considered crucial to regional security cooperation.
Key Changes Within the Armed Forces
As part of the restructuring, several senior positions within the Armed Forces General Staff have been reassigned. Brigadier General Mamadou Massaoulé Samaké has been named Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, replacing Brigadier General Makan Alassane Diarra following his promotion to the regional command.
Meanwhile, Colonel-Major Yacouba Sanogo has been appointed Strategic Adviser to the General Staff, taking over from Brigadier General Mamadou Massaoulé Samaké.
According to the presidential decree, Brigadier General Mamadou Massaoulé Samaké of the Army is appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, while Colonel-Major Yacouba Sanogo assumes the role of Strategic Adviser to the Armed Forces General Staff.
New Military Operations Commanders
The reshuffle also includes new appointments to oversee military operations across key regions of the country. Colonel Karim Traoré has been assigned to lead operations in the Eastern sector, Colonel Didier Dembélé will command operations in the Southern sector, and Colonel Issa Bagayoko has been appointed commander of operations in the Central sector.
These changes come as Mali continues efforts to strengthen national security and deepen military cooperation among AES member states.
Strengthening Military Reforms
The latest appointments form part of a broader reform agenda aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and operational capacity of the Malian Armed Forces. Earlier this month, General Assimi Goïta appointed General Élisée Jean Dao as the new Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Through this latest restructuring, Malian authorities reaffirm their commitment to improving military readiness and reinforcing regional defense coordination within the Alliance of Sahel States.
